College Application Guide
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College
Application
Guide
2021-22
1Contents
Introduction 1
Timeline 2
Researching Colleges and Universities 3
Building Your List 5
Admissions Tests (SAT, ACT, TOEFL, ETC.) 6
Applying To colLeges and universities 8
United States of America 8
Applying To universities Outside the US 10
Australia 10
Canada 11
Japan 11
Singapore 12
South Korea 12
UK 13
Singapore National Service 14
Gap Year 16
After You Apply 16
Glossary of Terms 17
College Application Policies 18
2Introduction
At Singapore American School, each student and family has a different level of familiarity with colleges
and how the college application process works. Some begin junior year with long lists of schools,
while others have only vague notions about what they might want to study or where they might want
to go. Some of our students are extremely ambitious, while others see college as a nebulous concept
and are not yet sure what might come next. We also work with students who are planning to take gap
years or who will spend their first two years after graduation in Singapore’s mandatory National Service
(NS). The role of a college counselor is to guide all SAS students, with their many different needs,
perspectives, and interests, through a process that helps them to find schools at which they will be
successful.
The SAS college counselors view a student’s engagement in the college admissions cycle as an
educational experience. Students need to learn to ask questions, to research institutions, and to
reflect on their discoveries. They practice speaking, writing, and organizational skills. Most students
will craft essays and take tests. So while the college process is not a formal class at SAS, it provides a
learning experience for each student. And it is the college counselor’s job to help guide and support
each SAS student through this journey.
Ultimately, the college research and application experience should be about process as well as
outcomes. The best outcome for each student will be both pedagogical and practical. And the
college counselors will do their best to offer a positive process so that all students and families will
conclude their SAS experience feeling supported and finding fit: colleges to which students are
admissible, at which they will be happy and successful, and from which they will graduate. The college
counselors are here to provide as much help as you need.
Applications Outside of the US
Please note that, because most students at SAS apply to university in the US, this planning guide is
focused on the US application process. If you are thinking about applying to universities in Australia,
Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea or the UK, please see the section on “Applying to Colleges
Outside the US.” If you are thinking about applying to non-US universities in countries beyond this list,
please talk to your college counselor.
A Word on Admissions During the Pandemic
We want to acknowledge that—in the face of so much uncertainty during the global pandemic—
there is a feeling that college admissions has become more uncertain, more unpredictable than
before. First, we want to assure you that, for the most part, the process remains the same. Researching
and developing an interest in universities, building a balanced list, writing thoughtful essays, the
timing of applications, and continuing to be attentive to academics and invested in activities and
interests—these things are essentially unchanged. Second, we want to address what many of our
families are particularly concerned about—that highly selective universities have become even more
highly selective. In the wake of most US universities choosing a test-optional policy because of the
pandemic, more students than ever are submitting applications to highly selective schools, creating
greater competition for the entire pool. This is true, but it’s important to focus on the bigger picture.
If, say, a university admitted only 5% of their applicant pool prior to the pandemic, and are now in
a position to admit 3-4% of their pool, the realities for applicants from SAS are virtually the same.
Admission to a university that is highly selective may be something a student hopes for, but the entire
list should include a range of selectivity to offer likely chances of admission. This is what we counsel
our students at all times, and will continue to do so throughout the pandemic.
1Timeline Senior Year
In order to ensure a thoughtful application process, August-November
the college counseling office recommends • Meet with your college counselor.
students follow this general timeline. This plan • Update your list of colleges in Cialfo.
may vary with students’ unique college plans, • Register for any additional standardized tests
so make sure you discuss your personal timeline you would like to take in the fall of senior year.
with your college counselor. • Explore admissions websites for the
schools you are considering and check their
requirements.
Second Semester, Junior Year • Read our guides to the Common App and
UCAS.
• Attend individual meeting with your college • Create application accounts (such as the
counselor. Common Application, UCAS, school-specific
• Attend family meeting with your college applications, etc.) and begin working on your
counselor once individual meeting has applications.
occurred. • If you are using the Common Application,
• Update the Extracurricular Activities in Cialfo match your Common Application and Cialfo
(under the Profile tab). accounts.
• We recommend that every junior take the SAT • If you will be applying to Oxford, Cambridge,
or ACT at least once in the second semester of or medical/dental/veterinary programs in
junior year. Develop a testing plan and register the UK, submit your UCAS applications and
for standardized tests (SAT, ACT, TOEFL, etc.). supplements by October 15.
• Secure at least one junior year teacher • Draft college essays.
from a core academic area for a letter of • By mid-September notify your
recommendation. Many colleges will require counselor if you will be applying to an Early
two letters. Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), or other
• After a teacher has verbally agreed to a letter colleges with October 1–November 15
of recommendation, fill out the appropriate deadlines.
“Teacher Rec Survey” and have it approved by • Submit Application Notification Forms (ANFs)
your counselor. to the college counseling secretary by the
• Keep a running list of colleges in Cialfo on the appropriate deadlines.
“Long List”. • Check the counseling website, the Daily
• Watch the SAS College Admissions Seminar Bulletin, and the counseling office screens
Sessions live on Zoom and/or watch recordings for the list of college representatives that
through the SAS Parent Portal. will be visiting campus, and meet with those
• Attend the college essay writing workshop. representatives when they are here.
• Take virtual tours of colleges and attend virtual • Keep your college counselor up-to-date on
information sessions. your college plans.
• Consult financial aid requirements and
deadlines for each school to which you are
Summer considering applying. These deadlines may
differ from college application deadlines.
• Visit campuses in person (if possible) and/or • Complete applications.
virtually.
• Research schools of interest. December, January, and February:
• Brainstorm responses to essay prompts. • Complete Applications for all deadlines
• Complete the “Counselor Recommendation” through January.
questionnaire. • If you have been accepted Early Action (EA)
• Update the Extracurriculuar Activities in Cialfo or Early Decision (ED), please let your college
(under the Profile tab). counselor know. If you have been accepted ED,
• Prepared for fall testing (if needed) you must immediately cancel any applications
• Relax. you have submitted to other schools.
• If your application has been deferred by a
college, please talk with your college counselor
about next steps.
2• Mid-year transcripts will be automatically chances of admission, and follow the progress of
sent to all US and Canadian colleges in late submitted applications. If you are unsure how to
December. access Cialfo, see your counselor.
March and April: The college counseling department’s extensive
• As you receive each decision, please notify website is full of information about the college
your college counselor. application process. Spend time browsing pages
• For US universities, you have until May 1 to and links. It contains nearly everything you could
make your final decision (except in the case possibly want to know about selecting and
of an ED acceptance). You must pay the applying to college.
enrollment deposit by May 1 to hold your
enrollment. Facebook is another way in which you can keep
• If you are placed on a waitlist, see your up with news about SAS college counseling and
counselor to review your options. college admission. It is a private group, so you will
• Once you’ve made your decision, notify other need to go to Facebook, search for “SAS College
schools you will not be enrolling. Counseling” and request to join.
• Keep your grades up. Your acceptance is
contingent upon the successful completion
of your senior year. If your grades drop, your Reference Materials
acceptance could be withdrawn.
• If you are applying to colleges in Australia, The SAS high school library has an up-to-date
Japan, or South Korea, you will likely be collection of independent college handbooks.
completing your applications for those schools You will also find some of the more popular print
during this time period. references on the bookshelves in the back of the
• If you will be entering Singapore’s NS, attend college counseling center—feel free to come sit
the SAS NS luncheon. on our couches and browse!
• If you will be attending college in the US and
are not a US passport holder, attend the SAS One of the best independent guides is the
Visa workshop. Fiske Guide to Colleges, which is easy to read,
interesting, and accurate. Fiske is one of the
few resources to utilize feedback from current
students and faculty members. Additional useful
Researching Colleges print resources include Colleges that Change
and Universities Lives, College Admission: From Application to
Acceptance, the Heap Guides (UK), and the Good
University Guide (UK).
Deciding where to apply is a highly individual
decision. Your choices will be influenced by where Regarding rankings: each year, the US News
you want to study, what you want to study, and & World Report, and several other publications
your high school grades earned so far. It will rate colleges. Each publication uses a different
also be influenced by personal factors including methodology to create its list, and each
everything from location to class size, from methodology is highly subjective. Some draw
available activities to cost of attending, and it’s in large part from third-party websites like College
completely normal to change your mind about Prowler or ratemyprofessor.com, and some poll
your priorities several times during this decision- professors, administrators, and high school
making process! For almost every student, there counselors about their opinions regarding other
are dozens of institutions where you would be institutions.
happy and successful. This guide is one resource
among many for you to utilize in the college Please view rankings with a skeptical eye. Directly
search process. comparing a school such as UC Berkeley (with
29,000 students) to Tufts (with 6,000 students) is
Web Resources problematic. Yet, that is exactly what these rating
guides attempt to do. And few guides (let alone
In Cialfo, students can create a list of prospective rankings) take student feedback into account.
colleges based on a variety of factors, look at Just because a for-profit publishing company has
graphs (called “scattergrams”) to predict their assigned a rank to a school does not mean that
3the ranking is in any way reliable. If you do use a • If you don’t know what you want to study or
ranking list, please use it only a guide, not as a get involved with at college, what else are
reliable reference. you interested in knowing? Other specific
questions can yield interesting information,
such as: “Tell me about the political/social
Visits, Campus Tours, and climate of the campus,” “What is residence
Information Sessions life like at your school?,” or “How do students
usually spend their time on and off campus?”
Perhaps the greatest impact the COVID-19 • Ask about scholarships or financial aid. It may
pandemic has had on the college admissions be difficult to get in-depth answers in a short
process is on visits. This includes students’ ability virtual session, but this is a good time to start a
to visit college campuses, but also includes conversation. There is always email if you have
admissions officers’ ability to visit high schools and a follow-up question.
share information about their colleges.
We understand that some families are planning
In a typical year, SAS hosts over 250 college to travel to the US and visit college campuses this
representatives who come to our school to summer. Please note that, due to the pandemic,
meet with students and members of the college many colleges are not open for formal visits, let
counseling team. In the absence of travel, college alone in-person classes, and we encourage you
admissions offices have expanded their virtual to check websites regularly to see what, if any,
offerings to a robust array of tours and sessions, options are available at the colleges you hope to
and we encourage students to take advantage see.
of the opportunities that are available. The more
information gathered about different types of When possible, we want students to try to visit
schools, the easier it will be to make a thoughtful college campuses. This is an excellent way to help
college list. Participating in tours and sessions— narrow your college choices. You may find a rural
yes, even virtually—also provides a chance for you campus more appealing than an urban setting, or
to demonstrate interest in the college, which can learn that you prefer small schools to larger ones.
be a factor in some colleges’ decision-making It is great to have an opportunity to assess both
processes. what you like about colleges generally, and then
what you like about particular colleges specifically.
In virtual information sessions—either scheduled Even if you are only able to walk or drive around
through the university website, or through a virtual a campus, get a sense of the surrounding
college fair on Cialfo or other platforms—you may community, and how you would travel to and from
have the chance to ask questions of admissions the college during breaks, you will learn valuable
representatives. Talking with them provides the information.
opportunity to learn about a college and to
interact with a member of the admissions staff. If college admission offices are running visits, if
If you decide to apply, the chance to talk one- you are able, take a formal tour. Other aspects
to-one might make a lasting impression, which of a visit may include sitting in on information
the admissions representative might remember sessions with admissions staff, sitting in on classes
when reading applications. You will also have a (if they are in person), an admissions interview,
contact name if you have a question about your even a meal on campus. Try to connect with the
application. admission representative for SAS. Each school
will have different offerings and different policies.
Uncertain what to ask of college representatives? Check their websites for more information.
Here are some ideas: Whatever you do when you visit, make sure the
• Oftentimes, general questions like “Tell me admissions office knows that you’re there! And if
about your college” may elicit general answers you visit informally, you could email the admissions
that are too vague to be useful. A good way to representative for SAS with follow-up questions.
get specific answers to is to be specific about
yourself. For example, you might say: “I’m
planning to study technical theater, and I also
Considering Cost
hope to play soccer in college. Can you tell me For each of our families, cost of attendance at
about theater and athletics at your school?” colleges plays a different role. If cost will play a
4factor in your college choices, there are several
things to keep in mind when conducting your
ATHLETICS
search. First, make sure that you understand Many students dream of playing a sport in college,
how your financial need status will be viewed at and there are many opportunities for doing so.
different colleges. US universities typically have Most colleges offer not only varsity and junior
different funds available to citizens versus non- varsity teams, but also club and intramural teams.
citizens. Additionally, public institutions in the US This means that students can make thoughtful
have different costs for state residents. If you are choices about how large a role athletics will play in
a citizen questioning whether you have residency their college experiences.
in your “home” state, please review the state
guidelines, as they vary greatly. Some students hope to be recruited to play sports
in college. It is worth noting that this can be a
Second, for US universities, all institutions are difficult path -- with less than 10 percent of US high
required to include something called the Net school athletes playing their given sport in college,
Price Calculator on their website that estimates and less than a third of those receiving an athletic
what a family may pay according to various criteria. scholarship, the truth is that it is extremely difficult
This is always an estimate because many more to become a recruited athlete.
factors determine financial assistance than what is
considered on the calculator. Additionally, read the The National Collegiate Athletic Association
fine print: most are only for US students. (NCAA) has data on the likelihood that a student
with be able to compete in athletics beyond high
Third, the US is the most expensive country for school. The NCAA also offers toolkits for Divisions
college tuition. If cost is a factor, it may be worth I-III, information on scholarships, recruiting
considering other countries as well. Some less calendars, and frequently asked questions (FAQs).
expensive countries include Australia, Canada,
Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK. The College Counseling website has a helpful
list of steps to follow if you intend to play at
Lastly, it is worth thinking about scholarships. Many the university level, and questions to help you
US universities offer merit based scholarships determine whether you are being recruited by
without an application. Please note, these are not colleges.
always available to non-US citizens. Most colleges
consider you for scholarships automatically based The SAS college counselors are also be happy to
largely on your academic qualifications. Some answer questions you may have about the athletic
colleges require an additional application for recruitment process.
merit scholarships. Please check individual college
websites—either on the admission or financial aid
webpages—for more information.
Building Your List
An additional source of financial assistance
may be private scholarships. Applying for these There are likely tens, maybe even hundreds of
scholarships is an additional process that requires colleges at which each SAS student would be
research and time. Two scholarship databases happy. So while you may hear students talking
you may wish to utilize are scholarships.com and about their “first choice” colleges, it is rare
fastweb.com. that there is only one single, best college for a
particular individual. You should be working to
Making sure to consider the cost of an institution build a list that includes a number of colleges,
while building your list will ensure that you’re not any of which you’d be happy to attend if admitted.
surprised by any deadlines or expectations.
If you’re not sure what major might interest you,
We have extensive information about that’s not a problem. The majority of students
understanding total costs (beyond tuition and who begin college in the US do not declare a
housing), merit scholarships, and financial aid for major. There is latitude to try different courses
US citizens (including links to required forms) on in the first year or two and choose a major later.
the College Counseling page of our website. If Many students apply as “undecided,” waiting
cost is a factor, make sure to address this with your until sophomore year to declare a major. Except
college counselor. for a few select majors—such as engineering and
5nursing—most students take a variety of courses When you enter your senior year, you will need to
during this time. finalize your list. SAS has a 10 application limit (see
the policy at the end of this guide). If your list has
You should consider whether any particular skills more than 10 applications, your counselor will work
or interests—such as visual arts, athletics, theater, with you to reduce it to 10 or fewer. It is important
music, dance, or scientific research—might be that the list is well-researched and balanced. Every
a part of your college search. If you know that student should have two or more “likely” schools.
certain areas matter to you, please share these Beyond that, there should be an appropriate mix
with your college counselor. of “likely,” “target,” and “reach” schools for your
academic profile and preparedness. Please note
It is important to consider your chances of that the 10 application limit is both worldwide
admissibility in creating your list. US universities and lifetime. This means that if a student does
think the best predictor of college success is high not follow our recommendations on the balance
school performance. Therefore, grades earned of their college list, applies to 10 schools, and
and high school courses taken and the rigor of does not receive an offer of admission, we will not
these courses are the most important factors support additional applications.
considered. Please note that your grades in core
academic courses are far more important than
your cumulative GPA. Standardized test scores,
if the college requires them (you may find a list
Admission Tests (SAT, ACT,
of those that do not at www.fairtest.org), Subject Tests, etc.)
are also an important consideration. Please note
that many colleges and universities have gone Nothing seems to cause more confusion, stress,
test optional during the pandemic. Their websites and anxiety in high school students than the SAT
will clarify their policies. To understand how test and ACT. But how important is your score? If a
optional policies may affect your applications, college requires them, then they are significant.
please talk to your counselor. However, your grades are far more important.
Most US colleges do not require test scores at all—
In building your list, Cialfo is invaluable in two some were test optional prior to the pandemic,
ways. First, it allows you to maintain a list of and many have gone test optional as a response
schools as extensive as you choose in the section to limited testing globally. For a thorough list,
“Long List.” This is a quick way to keep track please see www.fairtest.org. However, as policies
of colleges you’ve researched or considered. continue to change, it is also wise to check
Additionally, Cialfo has useful data on each college college’s websites for details.
that will help you assess whether your admission
to that school will be “Likely,” “Target,” or a
“Reach.” We define “likely,” “target,” and “reach” To SAT or ACT...that is the question
as follows:
The SAT and ACT are used equally by US colleges.
• A “likely” school is a college for which Many—but not all—will want to see either the
you are an extremely strong candidate. Using SAT or ACT. A college will never require both.
the scattergrams, you will be able to find Most students will perform similarly on both tests,
“likely” schools if you see that your grades and although a few students prefer one or the other.
test scores are on the high end of what the In general, if you are happy with your PSAT score,
college accepts. then you should prepare and take the SAT in
• A “target” school is one that generally accepts December or March of your junior year. If you feel
students with profiles similar to yours. The your PSAT score is not a good indicator of your
scattergram will show your scores firmly in the ability, then we would recommend that you take a
accept range. diagnostic ACT and compare your scores.
• “Reach” schools are colleges that normally
accept students with GPAs and test scores Please note that the ACT has moved to a
higher than yours. On the scattergram, there computer-based format (CBT) as of August 2018.
will be few to no accepted students at that SAS is no longer an ACT test center. We remain
school that have a similar profile. an SAT test center. You can find instructions on
how to register for the ACT on their website. We
have sent registration instructions for the SAT by
email.
6When to take the test language, you may need to take the TOEFL (or
IELTS, see below). The TOEFL is designed to test
As the tests primarily measure your reading your English language skills. Since SAS students
comprehension and math skills, the further into listen, read, write and speak in English every day
high school you are, the better you may do on the at school, they usually perform well. Talk to your
test. We, therefore, encourage students to take college counselor and check individual college
the test for the first time in December or March of websites to see if taking the TOEFL makes sense
their junior year, so they have the option of taking for you. Your TOEFL score is valid for only two
the test again later in the spring or early in senior years, so don’t take it too early.
year. If you are considering applying early action
or early decision, you should complete all testing Be aware that if you plan to apply to the UK, you
before October of senior year; for regular decision must take the IELTS instead of the TOEFL. The
applications, you can take retake the SAT as late as International English Language Testing System
December of your senior year. (IELTS) is a UK English language test that has
gained some currency with North American
admissions offices. As such, students are at liberty
Preparing for the SAT or ACT to take the IELTS instead of the TOEFL if they wish,
especially if scheduling the TOEFL proves difficult.
Like you would for any test, you should prepare In Singapore the IELTS is offered more often.
for the SAT or ACT. You can prepare using books Test sites include the British Council and IDP.
or free websites (such as Khan Academy for the
SAT). Please do not start test preparation more Another language test that is increasingly popular
than eight to 10 weeks before the test itself; there globally is the Duolingo English Test. From the
is no data to show that earlier preparation leads creators of the language learning app, this test
to higher results. is on demand, it takes an hour to complete the
exam, and the results are scored in two days. It is
While you may wish to enroll in a test preparation also less expensive than the other exams. Over
course, we recommend that you limit your time 1,500 colleges and universities globally accept
in such a program. Grades are by far the most this test as official. Learn more at the websites
important factor in college admissions, so of the schools you are considering and at www.
we do not recommend students take lengthy englishtest.duolingo.com to find out if this is an
coaching courses that distract from school work option for you.
and extracurricular activities. Keep in mind that
research has shown that 20 quality hours of prep
will result in the same improvement as a lengthy AP Examinations
preparation course.
If you are enrolled in an AP class, you will likely sit
for an AP exam at the end of that class. You may
Subject Tests also choose to take an AP exam if you are taking
certain AT (Advanced Topic) courses. AP exams
Subject tests are one-hour tests administered are always tied to coursework in a particular class.
by the College Board that cover specific AP exams are content-specific and typically take
content areas (e.g., Literature, Physics, French). place on one assigned school day in May each
Effective immediately, Subject Tests are no year.
longer being administered in the US, and the
last administrations internationally will be this Most UK universities require at least three AP
spring. No US universities require subject tests, exam results for acceptance or they may receive
however, because we do not yet know how other predicted scores and give you a conditional
countries will adjust their requirements, please talk offer. US schools may take AP exam scores into
to your counselor if you are planning to apply in consideration, but no US schools require AP scores
Singapore, the UK, etc. as a part of the admissions process.
You may list your junior year AP scores on your US
TOEFL, IELTS, and DUOLINGO applications, but don’t spend money asking AP
to send an official score, since these reports are
If English is not your native language, or you are
automatically sent to the registrar’s office once you
from a country where English is not the official
7matriculate rather than to the admissions office. No matter the prompt, the purpose of the essay
Note that AP exams completed in the senior year is for the admissions officer to learn more about
are not available until July, long after US admission you. The person reading your essay should be
decisions are made. able to draw some conclusions about how you
think and process information, your ethics and/
or value system, your sense of humor, and/or your
Applying to Schools intellectual curiosity. This is very different writing
than the five paragraph expository essay you may
be used to.
Applying to colleges can be a complex process.
The bulk of the responsibilities for this process
SAS offers essay writing workshops in the spring
belong to the student, but the college counseling
of junior year, and your college counselor can help
team also has a part to play. The most significant
you brainstorm potential essay topics and give you
role of our office is to provide students with good
feedback along the way.
counsel and support. We also have a responsibility
to submit student transcripts and supporting
Many schools will require one large essay and
documents to colleges. For this reason, we require
smaller, supplemental essays. Make sure you
every student to submit Application Notification
check the requirements so you are aware of
Form (ANF) for each institution to which they are
the expectations of each college.
applying. It is important to follow the deadlines
laid out by the college counseling office regarding
Extracurricular Activities
submission of ANFs. If an ANF is not submitted by
the deadlines set by our office, we will not be able
Colleges will give you the opportunity to report
to support the application.
your extracurricular activities and interests.
Concentrate on your important activities and list
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA them in the order of what is most meaningful to
you. Under the “Profile” tab in Cialfo is a section
In the US, colleges and universities set their called “Extracurricular Activities” that allows you
own individual criteria for determining who gets to track your involvements including clubs, service,
admitted— and how. Each one designs its own athletics, work experience, and other out of school
application, asks different questions, has a variety activities. Keeping this document up to date can
of deadlines, and sets its own policies. This can really assist you with completing this section of
become rather complicated as you attempt your applications.
to keep track of what each school wants. Even
schools accepting the “Common Application”
Sending your Official Test Scores
often ask for individualized supplements specific
to their college.
When you take an SAT, ACT, Subject Test, TOEFL,
or IELTS, you are the person who receives and
Completing college applications may seem
“owns” the scores. If colleges require you to send
daunting, so you will want to be sure that you give
your scores directly and officially from the testing
yourself plenty of time to fill them out thoughtfully.
agency (e.g., College Board, ACT, etc.) you should
Admissions requirements and deadlines will
send your scores at least two weeks before a
vary from school to school and year to year
college’s application deadline.
so you need to check carefully to ensure you
have completed all the necessary requirements.
Many colleges allow students to self-report
Your college counselor is available to answer
their test scores on their application. There is a
any questions that you might have at any point
significant cost savings to self-reporting scores,
in the process.
and if colleges allow this, they consider the self-
report to be official. Those colleges only require
Essays
scores to be sent from the testing agency if the
student is accepted and ultimately chooses to
Essay topics for colleges will typically be released
enroll.
in the spring or summer before your senior year,
and may change year-to-year. While specific
directions vary from college to college, all will
ask some variation of: “tell us about yourself.”
8Counselor Recommendation Additional Information
Most applications require a counselor On the Common Application and often on other
recommendation. This is the letter that will provide applications, there is an optional section asking
information about your academic performance, if there is any additional information you wish to
extracurricular activities, and your character and add. If, after looking at the entire application,
values. You must complete the “Counselor Rec” there is something that you have not been
survey. This survey is a set of questions you must able to include that is integral to a college’s
answer that will help you inform your counselor’s understanding of you as an applicant, this is the
letter of recommendation. place to write about it. This section is entirely
optional, and best utilized to discuss exceptional
Teacher Recommendations circumstances (e.g., learning differences,
prolonged illness, poor grades that are unlike
Teacher recommendation letters focus on anything else on your transcript, your Catalyst
academics; teachers address what they have seen project, etc.). Speak to your college counselor if
in class and in your coursework. Most SAS students you are wondering what might be appropriate for
applying to US schools will request two teacher this section.
letters of recommendation. The personal reference
used for UK applications is a collaborative effort Additional Recommendations or Materials
that the college counselor oversees and submits,
with your teachers giving abridged/short narrative If you think that you might benefit from submitting
information about why you are fit to study your one (and no more than one) supplemental
chosen course. recommendation, an art portfolio, or any
other supporting materials, you should have a
Choosing whom to ask to write a recommendation conversation with your college counselor. Please
is important and one of the things you will do not send extra materials without consulting
discuss with your college counselor. your college counselor; colleges admissions
It is best to ask teachers you have had in your representatives may become frustrated with files
junior year, because they have taught you recently. that have too much extra material.
Letters should come from a core subject teacher
and/or a teacher in the discipline you plan to Applications
pursue in college (if you know what you want
to study). It’s not necessary to choose teachers The application platforms you will use will vary
in courses where you earned As. In fact, if you with each college you apply to. It is likely that
received a lower grade in a particular course, at least one college will require you to use the
you may want to have this explained by the Common Application. This is an application that
recommender. you can use to apply to more than one school.
If the college gives you a choice of platforms,
You should plan on asking your teachers for a you can be assured that they do not prefer one
letter of recommendation in second semester over the other—but if the Common Application
junior year to give them plenty of advance notice. is an option, you must apply using the Common
Application. Other types of applications
After asking the teacher for a recommendation, include the Coalition Application, the Universal
you must respond to the “Teacher Rec” survey. Application, and school-specific applications.
Choose the appropriate subject area questionnaire Sometimes colleges will offer you the opportunity
and fill it out completely. This information helps to bypass certain requirements by using their
a teacher to recall specifics about you, so please specific application. You’ll want to check with your
fill it out thoughtfully. Once you have finished the college counselor to make sure this makes sense
form, contact your college counselor. for you.
Please note that letters of recommendation are When to apply
confidential, and you will not be allowed to read
any recommendations. Colleges in the US have a wide range of
application deadlines, the earliest of which is
October 15 (for only a handful of schools). Most
SAS students will begin submitting applications
9in late October or November of senior year. If your qualifications are not sufficient to gain
Deadlines on a student’s list may vary widely, admission, you may often enroll in a six- to twelve-
and students may be applying as late as month foundation year program at a school.
February of their senior year. It is important Success in this program will usually earn you entry
to consult deadlines for colleges early, and to into that university.
pay close attention to the college counseling
office’s requirements for submitting Application Australian universities do not require letters of
Notification Forms (ANFs). recommendation or personal essays for admission,
though if you are applying to live in on-campus
Individual colleges typically offer multiple housing, you may need to submit supporting
deadlines—usually early (Early Decision, Early written materials from one or more character
Action, or Priority), and later (Early Decision II references.
Regular Decision). Other colleges may offer
Rolling Admission. Please consult the glossary How to Apply
of terms and college application policies at the
end of this guide for more information. There is no one centralized application system
in Australia.
• Non-Australian Passport Holders—You will
need to follow the application directions on
each individual university’s website. Links to
Applying to colleges websites for all of the Australian universities
outside The US may be found on the Universities Australia
website, http://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.
au/.
Australia • Australian Passport Holders—If you hold an
Australian passport, you must apply through
There are nearly 40 universities in Australia. the tertiary admissions centre in each state.
When you apply, you must know what you want You can find links to each state’s admissions
to study; your courses will all focus on that area of centre here: http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/
study. Most courses of study in Australia are three guide/interstate.tisc.
years long. Because Australia is in the southern
hemisphere, the school year begins in February. When to Apply
Most courses at most universities also have a mid-
year intake in late June or early July. For international students, Australian universities
admit students on a rolling basis, so you may
If you want information about studying in apply at any time within a year of your planned
Australia or have questions about the application enrollment date. We generally recommend that
process, you might want to contact International you apply five or six months before you plan to
Development Program (IDP) Education Australia, start. This means that students who want to start
an organization established by Australian at the beginning of the Australian school year,
universities and the government. IDP Education, which is in February, usually apply in September
https://www.idp.com/singapore, offers a range of following senior year. If you want to start university
services, from providing information about courses in Australia mid-year, in late June or July, you will
of study to assisting with visa applications. usually apply in January or February.
Application Considerations If you are planning to enroll at the start of
Australia’s school year, in February, it is worth
Most Australian universities only consider your SAT thinking about how you will use your time in the
or ACT scores in making an admissions decision. eight months between graduation and the start of
A few Australian universities have programs that school. This is a great opportunity to have a gap
require two AP scores, and a couple may also year experience.
ask to review your high school transcript. You can Residential halls (or “colleges” in Australia)
look at each university’s website for the program generally offer places on a first come, first serve
that you intend to study to see if you meet their basis, and have a seperate application system.
standardized testing criteria for entry. Therefore, you should submit this application
as early as possible. While it may seem strange,
10you may need to apply to the residential college When to Apply
before you actually submit your university
application. Be sure to contact each residential Canadian universities tend to have later
college directly to find out more details. deadlines than some US colleges and universities.
The deadlines vary between early January until
the end of March. A few of the most selective
universities have earlier deadlines; make sure
to check deadlines on each school’s website
Canada and talk with your college counselor if you have
questions about this.
There are almost 100 universities in Canada.
In Canada, the term “college” generally refers
to a two-year program or trade school, whereas
“university” refers to a four-year institution.
In Canada, while you may be asked to apply Japan
to a particular field of study in the application
process, you generally have the the ability to Most universities in Japan are liberal arts based,
change your intended major within the first meaning that students usually spend their first
two years of a program. two years pursuing a broad range of courses and
then spend the final two years studying courses
Application Considerations related to their major. Japan has both private
and public universities. Most universities in Japan
Most Canadian universities are mainly concerned teach all of their courses in Japanese, but some
with a student’s academic results. They will offer a few select programs entirely in English.
primarily look at your grades in core academic The English-speaking programs are generally very
areas (especially English, math, science, and social small and highly competitive.
studies) in the last two years of high school.
For a comprehensive guide to studying in Japan,
Only a handful of Canadian universities require please visit http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/
standardized test scores (SAT/ACT). Other
Canadian universities may consider standardized Application Considerations
test scores, but high school academic grades will
still be the most important factor in their decision- Japanese schools read applications holistically,
making process. Please check university websites just as US schools do, though Japanese schools
for their statements about the discontinuation of place a much greater emphasis on SAT and
SAT Subject Tests. ACT scores. The primary drivers in the Japanese
application process are SAT or ACT scores (the
Some Canadian universities are moving to a more SAT may be preferred over the ACT in some
holistic review process for some programs. For a places) and your GPA. Every student will be
few universities and programs, students may be required to submit a high school transcript.
asked to write one or more short essays and/or Students will also be asked to write an essay,
provide a list of extracurricular activities. Letters of usually about your fit with a particular school and
recommendation are rarely required. intended major, and to submit recommendations.
It is also possible that you will be invited to sit for
How to Apply an interview with a panel of professors.
The application process for Canadian universities SAS students who are Japanese citizens are
is very straightforward. For most universities, it usually classified as kikokushijo, or “returning
is simply a matter of completing the individual students.” For most programs at most of the
university’s application and then sending in the Japanese universities, these students must
high school transcript. Ontario universities have travel to Japan to take centralized university
an online application form, OUAC, that allows examinations scheduled during the months of
students to apply to multiple universities and October, November, or December. You will need
programs in that province using one application to read each school’s application to see whether
form. that school will consider you a returning student
in the application process.
11Programs that are taught entirely in English Application Considerations
generally do not require that you take any
Japanese language exams. You may be asked to Public universities in Singapore want to see very
take the TOEFL, an English language test, even if high test scores. They will require SATs or ACTs.
you are a native English speaker. They will expect to see a good number of high AP
scores as well. Application requirements at
How to Apply other Singapore universities will vary widely from
school to school. Please check university websites
There is no one centralized application system in for their statements about the discontinuation of
Japan. Most Japanese universities still operate SAT Subject Tests.
on a paper-based application system, and it is
important to read the detailed directions on each How to Apply
university’s application website carefully as you
complete your paperwork. There is no one centralized application system in
Singapore. You will need to check each school’s
When to Apply individual website and follow the instructions
there on how to apply.
The universities in Japan do not have one single
admissions deadline or intake date; some schools When to Apply
have multiple admissions rounds. Very generally,
you can expect that intakes for Japanese-speaking Each school in Singapore has its own application
programs will be in April (nearly a year after you deadlines. Make sure to check the websites
graduate), and that intakes for English-speaking carefully for these deadlines (and pay careful
programs will be in September. You will need to attention to start dates to make sure that you are
check the admissions deadlines of each university applying for the intake period that you want). You
individually. Some SAS students begin applying to are most likely to apply at some point between
schools in Japan as early as December or January December and February of senior year.
of senior year, but most applications will be due in
the spring or early summer.
Since our office will need to handle a great deal of
paperwork for the Japanese schools, and since we South Korea
must put everything physically in the mail, we ask
that you give our office at least a month’s notice South Korea has a wide range of universities,
before you apply. most of which offer their programs only in Korean.
Currently, there are four private international
universities and one public university that offer
all of their degree-granting courses in English.
There are three different application tracks for
Singapore Korean nationals:
• Domestic—students who have never left South
There are many university options in Singapore. Korea or who have studied outside of South
All courses are taught in English. The traditional Korea for fewer than three years.
public universities are extremely competitive, and • Overseas: “3 Years”—students who have
you must know what you intend to study when you studied outside of South Korea for more than
apply. Other options here in Singapore are the five three years, but fewer than 12.
public polytechnics, several foreign universities, art • Overseas: “12 Years”—students who have
and design schools, and partnership institutions studied outside of South Korea for all twelve
such as Yale-NUS. years of school.
Most degree-granting programs in Singapore take In general, it is easiest to apply as a 12-Year
three years to complete. Students may instead student, because the Korean government places
pursue two- or three-year diploma courses, which a quota on acceptance rates for Domestic and
do not end in a degree but which will likely be 3-Year students.
pathways to undergraduate degrees in Singapore
and elsewhere.
12You may apply as an international student if you semester will usually start in August or September.
do not hold a Korean passport and you do not
have Korean parentage. Please check university Most students may apply to Korean universities
websites for specific details. in two separate rounds. This means that if you are
not admitted to a university in the first round, you
Application Considerations may be eligible to apply in the second round.
Many schools in South Korea are moving Since our office will need to handle a great deal of
toward a holistic review process, meaning paperwork for the Korean schools, and since we
that they will review high school transcripts, must put everything physically in the mail, we ask
test scores, a list of extracurricular activities, that you give our office at least a month’s notice
recognized accomplishments, awards, letters of before you apply.
recommendation, and interviews as part of the
admission process. You may also be asked to write
several essays.
As with admission to several other countries, like UK
the US, academic performance and test scores
play a significant role in the admission decision. The UK is home to over 125 different universities.
Universities in the UK usually ask that students
If you are applying to a Korean-speaking program, choose, apply to, and then focus on a single area
you may be required to sit for the TOPIK, a Korean of study (though you may also have the chance to
language test. International students applying to combine two areas of study, such as French and
English-speaking programs may be asked to sit for History or Business and International Relations).
an English-language test (IELTS or TOEFL). If you are someone who is certain of the subject
you want to study in college, a UK university could
How to Apply be a good choice for you. If you are undecided
about your major, be aware that in order to apply
Each university in South Korea has its own to the UK, you will have to make a decision about
application process. Korean schools require an what you will study. Note that transferring to a
enormous amount of paperwork—even if you are different subject will usually entail starting your
using an online application system. Each university degree over from the beginning.
will provide a list of documents they will need Most degree programs in the UK take three years
for the course which you are applying in their to complete; the notable exception to this is
application guide. The process is complicated, Scotland, where many degree programs are four
and you must follow directions carefully. SAS will years long.
only send required documents directly to the
universities. Application Considerations
You usually do not need to get any documents The primary factor that UK universities use in
stamped at the embassy as part of the admissions making admissions decisions will be your AP exam
process. You will, however, need to have scores. Most UK universities are looking for three
documents stamped at the embassy when specific AP scores in areas related to your intended
you plan to matriculate. area of study. Only University College London
and London School of Economics require—
When to Apply and Cambridge University recommends—that
applicants sit for five AP exams related to their
The timeline of applications in South Korea varies intended field of study. You can go to each
from school to school and from year to year. university’s website, look up the program in which
Please check deadlines carefully. In general, if you you are interested, and see whether you have
are applying to a university for entry into the first qualifying AP scores. Fortunately, UK universities
semester (which will usually start in March), you are very transparent in their requirements, so the
will apply sometime in June or July. Korean citizens results are more predictable than the US.
may only matriculate in spring. Some students may Some UK schools may also cnosider SAT, ACT,
choose to apply for a second semester intake; this and/or Subject Test Scores that were earned
previously. You are required to submit all of your
13test scores if you are applying using the UCAS, out on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified
a centralized application system. A few UK applicants. We ask that all seniors applying
universities may request and review your high to university in the UK let our office know by
school transcript. completing Application Notification Forms (ANFs)
no later than November 1. Please note that,
Students without qualifying test scores can often unless you have submitted ANFs by that
apply to a one-year foundation course in order November 1 deadline, you may not start a UCAS
to qualify later for entry to a degree program at application.
a UK university.
Universities in the UK will ask you to write a
personal statement about your interest in and
commitment to your intended course of study.
This may involve writing about relevant high
Singapore National Service
school courses you have taken, internships If you are a male Singaporean citizen or Permanent
or other work experiences, material you have Resident, you must complete National Service (NS)
watched or read, and/or pursuits you have before beginning university. Regardless of whether
engaged in outside of the classroom. Your you plan to apply to a few universities during your
college counselor will also write you a reference senior year and defer your start date, or if you plan
letter based on teacher comments about your to wait and apply to college while in NS, you must
demonstrated engagement with your field request your recommendations and complete
of interest. standardized testing while in high school.
Some courses of study may require you to When to Apply
take specialized admissions tests as part of the
application process (e.g., the LNAT for law or Young men in NS have the option of an extended
the BMAT for medicine). Please look carefully college application timeline. You might submit
at the requirements of each of the programs to applications:
which you are applying. Some universities may • In your senior year; or
also require that you take the IELTS, an English • In your first year of NS; or
language test. You may contact The British Council • In your second year of NS; or
about registering for these tests. • In both senior year and while you are in NS.
How to Apply Most students headed for NS will apply to just
one or two schools in their senior year and then,
Most UK universities use a nationwide system if necessary, will apply to the bulk of their colleges
called the UCAS for their applications. UCAS is an during the second year of NS. You do have the
online portal where you can search for programs option of applying during your first year of NS
and also apply to universities. UCAS only allows (or in the fall just before you enter), but very few
students to apply to a maximum of five programs, young men apply at this time.
or courses, so students must select carefully. We
will send all students interested in UK schools You will want to have conversations with your
an extensive document on how to complete the parents and your college counselor before you
UCAS at the beginning of senior year. decide whether to apply to college during your
senior year or to wait until after graduation (or
Check to see whether the UK universities to which some combination thereof).
you may be interested in applying use the UCAS. If
they do not, you will need to follow each individual Applying during senior year will keep you in
school’s application requirements, which can be step with your classmates and will—if you are
found on their websites. accepted—provide you with more immediate
gratification. Waiting to apply to college after
When to Apply enlistment in NS will give you all of grade 12 to
focus on getting great grades, increasing your
The UCAS has a deadline of January 15, but most SAT/ACT and AP, and giving more thought to
international students apply earlier than this, career and college pathways. US colleges also
because slots in UK programs are generally given
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